Scribus provides a reasonably simple interface and can output print-ready PDFs! It is not a replacement to InDesign—it has limitations, but individuals and small businesses no longer have to pay thousands of dollars for layout software to create ads and brochures.

For Microsoft Word it is Style Sheets, for PowerPoint it is Master pages. Use these tools and you life in the office will dramatically improve!

I am no expert on PowerPoint, but I whipped together this handout to introduce new employees to a few basics. I hope it will benefit you as well.

Chrome does have a setting that opens PDFs in Google Docs but it is unpredictable and a little cumbersome.

So I am sorry Chrome but Firefox wins again!

It is funny—every time some internet solution comes along to speed-up and simplify our lives, it creates 10 more problems that also need solutions.

Yes, it is a bit time consuming to type up these procedures with enough detail for them to be truly useful, but in the long run you will be glad you took the time. Not only will your company benefit from this resource but your own work will be done with a greater efficiency.

Foldfactory.com has a great FOLD resource titled 60-second Super-cool FOLD of the WEEK. Have fun folding!

The reason why I have described Prezi as the antithesis of PowerPoint, is because the tools that are provided are incredibly simple and limited. This constraint, I believe, prevents non-designers from creating a visual disaster. I would predict that the average user has a 90% chance of creating a good presentation, were as with PowerPoint, I would estimate the average user has a 90% chance of creating something awful.

Within these very tight constraints, a designer can open up infinite creative possibilities using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. When I say “infinite” I am referring specifically to creativity—Prezi is light like a motorcycle not heavy like a tank. In my limited experience with Prezi it seemed important to keep the file sizes small—I wouldn’t recommend using it for a large slide shows that use hundreds of hi-res images. So don’t worry PowerPoint and Keynote (not that you would) Prezi will not create a revolution and replace either of you.

My experience with Prezi was like a breath of fresh air, although it did take some getting use to—it is an unusual environment to work in—but once you get the hang of it, it is fun.

I did learn a few things during this brief experience that I will do differently when creating another Prezi. I created an abundant amount of custom graphics with embedded text. This became cumbersome when edits were made by the client to the text. I would have to make the text edits in Illustrator or Photoshop, then export the files, then import and replace them in Prezi. I couldn’t simply update my links. Next time I will try and rely more on the text tool in Prezi for areas that have more text, in this case it was Q&A.

Another issue arose when I realized the speed of my computer was a great hinderance. Since Prezi is Flash based—how fast you move within the environment is dependent on how fast your computer can view complex Flash movies.

Overall my experience with Prezi was fun and refreshing—I encourage everyone to at least give it a try—I doubt you will be disappointed.

Below I have included 2 videos that explain how Prezi works.